‘Getting raped is a test from Allah’: video of Zakir Naik engaging in victim blaming goes viral, says ‘violation of Sharia’, ‘provocative dress’ can lead to rape

"If, hypothetically, a woman chooses not to adhere to rules and instead dresses in a manner deemed immoral, which may provoke inappropriate reactions leading to an act of rape, then who should be blamed? It is the girl's responsibility," Naik said while responding to a question on whether Allah would forgive a man for committing rape.

6 January, 2025
OpIndia Staff

Zakir Abdul Karim Naik popularly known as Zakir Naik, an Indian fugitive residing in Malaysia, who is infamous for disseminating his radical religious propaganda has once again attracted attention on social media due to his highly offensive comments amid the ongoing controversy over Pakistani Muslim grooming gangs in the United Kingdom.

He attempted to rationalize rape with one of the most bizarre statements, in an old clip that recently went viral online. The video was uploaded over a year ago by a YouTube channel called “EnlighteningEcho,” which consistently shares content related to Naik.

A question was posted by a man named Shafin Rashad from Kerala, India which read, “May Allah bless you! I have a query. May Allah forgive me if I’m saying something wrong. Allah is the most merciful and most gracious. If I rape a girl and kill her, but it is not proved in the court, resulting in my acquittal and freedom. After a long time, I truly repent for my actions before Allah as we know he can forgive all transgressions. However, if he forgives me too then where is the justice for the victim?

Notably, rather than unequivocally denouncing the atrocious acts of rape and murder, Naik resorted to convoluted explanations and ultimately ventured to offer a justification for the heinous crime. He first quoted a verse from the Quran and claimed, “It is Allah who has created death and life to test which of you is good indeed. So this life is a test for thereafter. We are being evaluated. Allah examines different people in different ways. He tests some people by giving them luxury or others through poverty.”

He informed the questioner, “You are correct. If an individual has committed acts of rape and murder but genuinely repents and seeks forgiveness, five essential criteria must be met. Firstly, one must acknowledge that their actions were wrong. Secondly, it is imperative to cease such behaviour immediately. Thirdly, there must be a commitment to never engage in these actions again. The fourth step involves seeking forgiveness from Allah. If all these conditions are satisfied, then, inshallah, forgiveness may be granted, even for grave sins such as rape and murder as he is the most gracious, the most merciful.”

Naik then proceeded to address the other facet of the inquiry and shamelessly indulged in victim shaming. He alleged, “Coming to the second part, I would say no because both (the perpetrator) are undergoing a test in this world. Let me explain to you that Allah has provided specific guidelines for women, advising them to dress modestly and to cover their bodies, with certain exceptions such as the face. If, hypothetically, a woman chooses not to adhere to these rules and instead dresses in a manner deemed immoral, which may provoke inappropriate reactions leading to an act of rape, then who should be blamed? It is the girl’s responsibility.”

He then attempted to downplay his outrageous comment but failed to hide his inner Islamist misogynist and added, “That doesn’t mean that the boy has the right to rape but besides him, the girl is also expected to observe the principles outlined in the Quran. She is accountable if she chooses to wear an outfit that could lead to such an act. On the other hand, if she is dressed decently and is still subjected to rape, the incident serves as a test for her. The critical consideration is whether she was following Allah’s recommendations concerning her attire. If she was not, she is responsible for attracting the rapist.”

The religious fanatic who perceives females solely through the lens of their clothing, reducing them to the status of a mere commodity then claimed rape was an unfortunate result of breaking the regressive Sharia Law. “Rape is impermissible, irrespective of whether a woman is dressed modestly or otherwise. However, it is a test for her. She might have breached Sharia rule or she may not have, but it is suggested that Allah intends to evaluate her faith in him after she has endured such a violation.” He repeatedly reiterated this assertion and maintained that no injustice took place while he referred to the sexual assault as a “difficult test from Allah” to determine her belief in him.

“The focus revolves around her compliance with the commandment. If she is, then Allah wants to know whether she continues to express gratitude to him for the blessings received, as this serves as a test for the hereafter. It is important to note that granting forgiveness to the rapist does not equate to injustice towards the woman. This is because she may possess her own shortcomings. Should she seek forgiveness, she will be granted it. It is possible that she did not err on that specific day, but she may have committed mistakes in the days prior. Therefore, the primary focus of the test is whether any mistakes have been made,” he voiced, maintaining his startling stance.

The Islamic preacher proceeded to utter further nonsensical remarks that were equally perplexing, and objectionable and contradicted himself. “If the girl has committed no wrongdoing and has been subjected to rape and subsequently murdered, it is imperative that justice is served. Nevertheless, this does not imply that Allah cannot forgive the offender if he sincerely repents. It is also plausible that the girl may have made mistakes and sought redemption. Thus, it is incorrect to declare that injustice has been committed. Allah’s decrees are clearly articulated, and those who follow these directives will attain Paradise, whereas those who fail to do so will face Hell.”

Naik demonstrated a higher level of contempt for the victim compared to the offender. He accused her of dressing inappropriately, and making past indiscretions, and asserted that she could have disobeyed Allah’s commands. Furthermore, he attributed her rape to a test, all the while declaring that the latter would receive forgiveness from Allah for his actions. It is significant to note that he faces allegations of money laundering in India and has been prohibited from entering several countries due to his Islamist ideology. He has, in fact, become a figure of inspiration for terrorists. He is even infamous for his admiration for Osama bin Laden.


Hate preacher accused of radicalising 7/7 bombers now recruiting Brit jihadis for ISIS

7 JULY 2015
BY NICK SOMMERLAD , RUSSELL MYERS
Mirror

A hate preacher who accused of radicalising the 7/7 bombers is now recruiting British jihadis for Islamic State, the Mirror can reveal.

Abdullah al-Faisal, who met both suicide bomber Germaine Lindsey and his jihadi wife Samantha Lewthwaite, spent four years in jail in the UK for soliciting murder but since his release in 2007 fled to his native Jamaica.

Ten years on from the London terror attacks, al-Faisal is broadcasting almost daily online rants to thousands of followers - including many Brits.

He heaps praise on the ISIS caliphate in Syria and Iraq and is feared to have brainwashed many impressionable young Muslims living in the West to travel there to join in jihad.

He claimed: “Some people are so sinful, after living in Dar ul-Harb (the West) for many years, the only way they can go to Paradise is for them to die on the battlefield fighting for Allah.

“When you go to the battlefield and you kill the kuffar (non-Muslims), they shall take your place in the hellfire.”

He makes no attempt to shy away from the horrific atrocities ISIS militants commit in the name of religion – and even seeks to praise and justify them.

Al-Faisal defended the horrific mass-beheadings of ISIS opponents saying: “The Muslims of Iraq have many cities to conquer.

“If they take captives, they will slow them down and resources will be wasted on them because they will have to be fed and watched over. It is cheaper to kill them and get over it. The food we have is for the mujahideen not for the Kuffaar.”

In another lecture last month, al-Faisal justified ISIS taking Yazidi women and children slaves and selling them “in the marketplace at an auction like you auction cattle”. He said: “These women are spoils of war - you don't have to marry your spoils of war to go to bed with them.

He attacked ideas like “Islamic democracy” and even claimed there was no such thing as “marital rape”: “It is not marital rape if it is done playfully. It is only rape if it is done violently.”

But he shied away from openly providing practical help to followers wanting to travel to Iraq and Syria, telling one: “I cannot help people go to the dawla (Islamic State). I am the worst person to ask this question.

“All of my communications are bugged by the kuffar, so you will get caught if I instruct you about going to the dawla. Find someone in the dawla to ask this question.”

Abdullah al-Faisal was named by former Home Secretary John Reid as a "strong influence" on the 7/7 bombers, including ringleader Mohammed Siddique Khan and Germaine Lindsay. He admits meeting Lindsay and his widow Samantha Lewthwaite - the "White Widow" - but denied radicalising them.

Former Scotland Yard terror chief Peter Clarke who led the investigation which jailed Faisal told the Mirror: “He is someone who peddles this dangerous ideology which incites people to commit terrible acts of violence.

"This shows we were absolutely right to prosecute and charge him in 2003. He was a hate crime advocate then and he clearly still is.”


Gangster-turned-radical imam may have radicalized dozens behind bars

By Malia Zimmerman
Published June 04, 2015
FoxNews.com

A former U.S. Marine who became a Muslim radical, gang leader and bodyguard to the blind sheik behind the 1993 World Trade Center bombing is so adept at turning fellow prisoners into potential extreme jihadists that Florida prison officials have kept him in shackles and in solitary confinement for the last three years, and federal authorities want a judge to tack on another three decades.

Marcus Dwayne Robertson, a Muslim extremist also known as Imam Abu Taubah who once led a murderous New York gang dubbed “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” before resurfacing decades later as a radical imam at a Florida mosque, has been held at the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Seminole County, Fla. Currently imprisoned on a weapons conviction, he faces sentencing on June 26 for a tax fraud conviction. Federal authorities want him locked up and kept away from other inmates out of fear he will turn them into dangerous jihadists, as he converted a number of fellow inmates including a white supremacist.

“The United States believes that the defendant is still an extremist, just as he was in the early 1990s,” prosecutors said in recent court filings in which they alleged Robertson continues to be a terrorism threat. “The only differences are that the defendant is now focused on training others to commit violent acts as opposed to committing them himself, and the violent acts are to occur overseas instead of inside the United States.”

Robertson, 46, who served time in the 1990s for crimes related to his days as a Brooklyn gang leader, has been imprisoned in Florida in 2011 on a gun charge. In just one year behind bars and among the general population, he allegedly radicalized 36 fellow inmates. Prison officials moved the persuasive imam into solitary confinement in 2012, where he has remained since. He faces sentencing later this month on a tax fraud conviction that prosecutors hope will keep him in prison for more than three decades. The U.S. attorney is using the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to seek an enhanced sentence for Robertson.

Robertson’s attorney wants his client, who has been held for four years, released immediately with time served, but federal authorities are believed to fear that, if freed, Robertson could use his Orlando-area mosque to convince more young Muslims to go overseas and take up arms against the west.

“He is good at selling the dream,” said one of Robertson’s former colleagues.

Robertson has been held in a windowless cell in an otherwise empty wing of the prison facility and kept shackled to the floor with an armed guard assigned exclusively to him around the clock, according to a federal civil rights lawsuit he filed against the government pro se in 2012 that was ultimately dismissed. A person familiar with Robertson's case confirmed the conditions and told FoxNews.com prison officials fear Robertson’s military skills, which include special operations training, make him a threat to escape.

A prison spokeswoman told FoxNews.com that Robertson was put in solitary confinement “for his own protection” and is now held there by his own choice. But the tight security around Robertson extends outside the prison, with at least a 7-car armed caravan of federal marshals escorting him to his court appearances. Robertson’s attorney said his client believes he was put in solitary confinement in retaliation for filing a federal lawsuit against the government.

“Marcus Robertson has never tried to radicalize anyone,” said Robertson’s attorney Daniel Brodersen, who believes his client should be released immediately. “He’s tried to practice his religion in prison to the best of his ability.”

Over the last 30 years, Robertson has traveled a bizarre path that has seen him serve in the U.S. military, lead a murderous New York gang, consort with top Al Qaeda associates, go undercover for the FBI in Egypt, Africa and the U.S., and ultimately end up in a federal lockup facing more than 30 years in prison. Those who know him say Robertson became disenchanted while in the military, where he claims to have served in the elite counter-terrorism unit Joint Special Operations Command before leaving the service as a conscientious objector.

National Archives records confirm Robertson’s service from May 16, 1986 to May 1994, in the U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company as a field radio operator, but records indicate he was released from active duty in March 1990, discharged in the rank of corporal with training in radiotelegraph, scuba diving, marksmanship, parachuting, terrorism counteraction, surveillance, infantry patrolling and finance.

In early 1991, Robertson joined with other former Muslim security guards to form a robbery gang they called the ‘Forty Thieves’ with Robertson as the leader known as "Ali Baba."

They robbed more than 10 banks, private homes and post offices at gunpoint, shot three police officers, and attacked one cop after he was injured by a homemade pipe bomb.

Robertson also served as a bodyguard to Omar Abdel Rahman, nicknamed the “Blind Sheik,” who was part of the extremist Islamic group accused of the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Government records claim Robertson donated more than $300,000 in stolen funds to mosques he attended.

After he was arrested in 1991 along with most of the other members of the Forty Thieves gang, Robertson cut a deal with prosecutors, serving just four years in prison while others remain behind bars.

Part of the pact involved Robertson going undercover for the FBI to document terrorists’ plans and networks in Africa, Egypt and the United States.

According to a source familiar with Robertson’s history, Robertson was thrown out of the program in Feb. 8, 2007 after he attacked his CIA handler in Africa.

Robertson quickly reinvented himself, founding the Orlando-based Fundamental Islamic Knowledge Seminary in 2008 and taking his Muslim name. He traveled the world, teaching at universities, including some in the United States. Videos of his lectures show him preaching against gays, “devil worshipers,” non-Muslims and such American pop culture icons as cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants, who he says is “gay.”

Under Islamic law, the Brooklyn-born Robertson married two women, Zulaika and Itisha Wills. Between them, and children he fathered outside these marriages, Robertson has 15 children. Through his teachings, videos and social media, he recruited an extensive network of followers in Florida and New York, an estimated 150 who reportedly are a concern for federal law enforcement.

Robertson was arrested on a firearms charge in 2011 and pleaded guilty in January, 2012. Just two months later, federal authorities charged him in with conspiring to defraud the IRS. Through wiretaps, the federal government documented interactions between Robertson and one of his student, Jonathan Paul Jimenez, who Robertson allegedly instructed to file false tax returns to obtain a tax refund to pay for travel to Mauritania, Northwest Africa, for study and violent jihadist training.

Jimenez, who reportedly knew Robertson for 11 years and, by his own admission, trained with the imam for a year in preparation for his travel to Mauritania, where he would study and further his training in killing, suicide bombing, and identifying and murdering U.S. military personnel, pleaded guilty Aug. 28, 2012, to making a false statement to a federal agency in a matter involving international terrorism and conspiring to defraud the IRS, and was sentenced April 18, 2013, to 10 years in federal prison.

While Robertson has been awaiting sentencing in the tax fraud charge, prosecutors have built a case against him for enhanced sentencing, alleging he’s involved with terrorism activities.

Robertson denies sending Jimenez overseas "to commit violent jihad.”

“The prosecution is attempting to characterize me as a ‘Teacher of Terrorists.’ … They are attempting to twist my statements to fit into a terrorist plot," he said in a statement that appeared on his website. In reality, they know I am not a terrorist teacher.”